2 Samuel 18:12
10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.
11 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.
And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.
13 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.
14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- The man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels of silver were weighed out into my hands, I would not raise my hand against the son of the king. For we heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’
- KJV
- And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.
- WEB
- The man said to Joab, “Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn’t stretch out my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware that no one touch the young man Absalom.’
- ASV
- And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand [pieces of] silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king`s son; for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.
- DARBY
- And the man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand silver pieces in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take care, whoever it be [of you], of the young man Absalom.
- BLB
- And the man said to Joab, “Even if I was weighing in my hands a thousand [shekels] of silver, I would not have sent out my hand against the son of the king. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Protect [for my sake] the young man Absalom.’
- ÅB
- Men mannen sa til Joab: Om jeg så fikk meg tilveid tusen sekel sølv midt opp i hånden, ville jeg ikke rekke ut min hånd mot kongens sønn; for vi hørte alle på at kongen befalte deg og Abisai og Ittai og sa: Vær varsom med den unge mann, med Absalom, hvem det så er av dere!
- OTB
- Men mannen sa til Joab: "Selv om jeg fikk tusen sølvstykker, ville jeg ikke rekke ut min hånd mot kongens sønn; for i vår høring befalte kongen deg, Abisjai og Ittai og sa: 'Beskytt den unge mannen Absalom for min skyld.'
- B1930
- Men mannen sa til Joab: Om jeg så fikk mig tilveid tusen sekel sølv midt op i hånden, vilde jeg ikke rekke ut min hånd mot kongens sønn; for vi hørte alle på at kongen bød dig og Abisai og Ittai og sa: Vær varsom med den unge mann, med Absalom, hvem det så er av eder!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
2 Samuel 18:5
And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
Read in context